'aniselike' originates from English compounding of the noun 'anise' and the suffix '-like'; 'anise' in turn comes from Late Latin 'anisum' and Greek 'ἄνησον' where the element referred to the anise plant, and the suffix '-like' comes from Old English '-līċ' meaning 'having the form of'.

'anise' changed from Greek 'ἄνησον' into Late Latin 'anisum', passed into Medieval and Middle English as forms like 'anis', and became modern English 'anise'; the productive English suffix '-like' (from Old English '-līċ') was later attached to form 'anise-like' and then the closed compound 'aniselike'.

Initially it referred to the plant or its seeds; when combined with the suffix '-like' it has meant 'resembling or having qualities of anise' and this meaning has remained in modern usage.